Trying some new things...

Our church is doing a church-wide fast for the month of January. I've really only heard about it through the grape-vine because I haven't been to church in almost 2 months!! So hard to believe, but things have just been coming up every weekend. Out of town and sickness mostly. So I really don't know all the details, and at first I was honestly like "I'm not going to fast." Very callous of me...

Then I started getting convicted. And I've realized that I've really stumbled pretty far. My quiet time is pretty much non-existent, and not very deep when I do have it. And I've become very selfish. Having a newborn can really shed some light on just how selfish you are. Early morning feedings plus fussy babies leave me pretty ungracious. I'm not a nice person at all. And not a very fun person to be around.

For the past several days, I've really felt my Father coaxing me back into his arms. I've been running and not dealing with things as they should be. As He wants me to. And I'm being shown what needs to change in me. I was shown that I needed this fast. For my health and sanity, and for my family.

A meal fast is not really an option right now with breastfeeding. Plus I'm usually eating on the go, so fasting a meal would probably not be very beneficial anyways. So I started thinking and praying about what I should be fasting. I was shown two very clear ways to go. Facebook. I don't know why or how I get so consumed in it. But I sit down to look at a few things while I'm nursing, and then all of a sudden I've wasted so much time. I never intentionally do it, but it always draws me in. So I'm going to fast it for a month to teach myself discipline concerning it. After the month is through I'll see where God leads me to next.

The other way to go is to eliminate sweets. I've been so emotional about my body since Rachel was born. But I've not done anything to help it get back. And I've found that I eat out of boredom ALOT! Like when the kids are napping I usually go and find the most unnutritious thing in the house and sit down and eat it. It doesn't help that I feel like I'm starving all the time. So I'm going to fast sweets for a month. I really need to get in the habit of eating more healthy. For my body right now, and for the future. I've had gestational diabetes with all 3 of my kids, and they say you have a higher risk of developing diabetes if you've had it. So I want to take control of that situation now before it's too late!

So that's the plan. No facebook or sweets for a month. I'm super nervous about this, which tells me that it's definitely the way I need to go. But I'm also very excited to see what's in store! I'll still blog when I have a few moments, so I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

No time to write anymore...

I really wouldn't say I'm so busy to write on this thing, but the only time I really have of sitting down is when I'm nursing and then my hands aren't very free to type. But I can read all I want, but writing is another story! So this might just be a short recap of what all's been going on with the Folsoms when I have a spare minute. Right now, Rachel is still sleeping and I'm sitting here enjoying the quiet with a cup of coffee. Wonderful! Sure there are several chores neeeding to be done, but they'll eventually get done..

Well, a lot has happened since I last wrote. Let's go back a few weekends! The weekend before Christmas, Josh and I decided to go down to Florida and look at another truck. It happened to work out to where we could get his parents to watch the older two kids while we went down ourselves. So we decided to take advantage and have a date night on Friday on our way down. We had an old gift card to Applebee's, so we stopped in Valdosta and ate there. Rachel slept the whole time! So it was nice to be able to just focus on each other, and actually finish a conversation! :)

Then we drove down to Branford, to stay at the river that night. We woke up early to drive down to a town called Englewood, Fl. Which is a little south of St. Pete. Very long drive! Anyways we looked at a truck and ended up buying it! It's a 1999 Toyota Tacoma, and needs some work. But Josh has really been enjoying mechanicing so he bought it to fix up. Anyways, we decided to drive all the way back that night, so we could go to church the next day. We drove for a while, then stopped and ate at Cracker Barrell! Yum! And I fed Rachel. (You know, breastfeeding in public wouldn't be that bad if everyone wouldn't STARE you down!) Then we got back on the road. Not 10 minutes later, Rachel started screaming at the top of her lungs! I called Josh and we stopped. I thought she might have needed some more burping. As soon as I picked her up she stopped. Tried burping for a while, and got a few little ones and she was completely happy. So we got back on the road. And she started screaming again! I knew she just wanted to be held, so I tried driving for a while to see if she would fall asleep. She basically screamed for two hours straight and then fell asleep the last hour of the drive! Very exhausting! But it did keep me awake!

Anyways, I probably would have stopped again with her, but we got a call from Josh's parents that Hannah had hit her head on their headboard and gashed her forehead open! So I was panicky about that and trying to get home quickly. We finally made it home, and she did hit it pretty good. It was still bleeding almost 3 hours after it happened and the cut just wouldn't close up, so we decided to go to the ER with her. Josh took her, and I went home with the other two. They were there until almost 3, and she ended up getting 3 stitches! But apparantly she was a real trooper and did really good! So that was that weekend, and we ended up not going to church!

Last week was a time to recuperate. I don't think we left the house all week! Hannah and Elijah both had colds and plus there was lots to do before Christmas. Wrapping presents, baking cookies, cooking sides for all the dinners. So we were busy!

Then it was Christmas eve already! We got over to Josh's parents and eat a fancy meal together. Then we open presents from Josh's grandmother. We watch a movie together and then go to bed!

There were several people sick this year, which kinda put a damper on the whole thing. Eli and Hannah were still getting over colds. And Josh and his mom were both really sick with like a flu-like cold! Not pretty. And not easy for me because I was doing everything while Josh was pretty much out of it for like 5 days straight! But Christmas still came! We had a good time that morning at his parents, and it was exciting to watch the babies open their gifts. They are really understanding now, and it's fun to watch them get so excited! Rachel slept the entire time! Then we packed up and headed to my parents where we ate a big lunch and then opened more presents! We hung out all afternoon, and then went back to Josh's parents to pick up our stuff. We ended up staying for dinner and then decided to just stay the night again. Then Sunday we packed up and headed home. We didn't go to church again because Josh was still really sick. So we just had a nice leisurely day at home. Which I definitely needed. I was exhausted! Josh is finally better, and back to his old self! Boy, am I glad to have him back! :)

Now we are just enjoying time at home. So many new toys to play with! Elijah and Hannah have been constantly busy!

I can't believe that the new year is only a few days away! We've decided to take another trip down to the River house for the weekend to celebrate. We usually do this with Josh's entire family, but this year it will probably be just our little family. But I'm excited! It's nice to get away because you're forced to spend time all together and we've been missing that lately!

I have some pictures of all our adventures, so I'll post them again in another blog later! Gotta go, Rachel's stirring...

Just some pictures..

Rachel is two months old! Trying to catch her smiling...

Hannah got her nails painted in Nashville for the first time. She was really happy!

Elijah and his cousin Winston really bonded and played so well with one another on this trip!

They were inseperable!

My hair before we went to Nashville. It was ridiculously long that I was wearing it up all the time. The only time I could get a picture of how long it was, was right after a shower.

The new do! I really love it! It's just so much lighter!

Gosh, it's been a while!

Well, I wouldn't say life is "busy" right now, but it is very much "full" of babies. That's really all I do! Here's a run-down of a typical day: Rachel usually wakes up around 7:30, and I nurse her in the bed usually. Sometime during that, Elijah and Hannah wake up and usually play in the living room. When I finish with her, she usually goes back to sleep. Then I get up and go fix breakfast. Give them breakfast, and then I usually try and get things done around the house. Wash clothes, clean kitchen, clean up after breakfast, and take a shower! Then by that time, Rachel is back up again. I feed her and then make lunch. Clean up after lunch, and then it's time for a nap. We read a book, then I put the babies in bed. Go in several times to tell them to lay down, and stop throwing toys. Then it's time to feed Rachel again. She nurses and I lay down with her. For some reason she won't nap at this time unless I will lay with her. So when she goes to sleep, I will either take a nap too or go enjoy some silence in the house. :) Then the babies wake up, and I get them some type of snack. Rachel wakes up, and I feed her. Then I try and go about making dinner. Rachel likes to cluster feed during this time, so I'm usually trying to feed her and make dinner at the same time. Josh usually comes in around this time, and can a least monitor and play with Elijah and Hannah. Get dinner ready, and we eat. I'm usually feeding Rachel and taking bites here and there. Then it's time for bed. Elijah and Hannah get baths every other night, and pjs on, a book read, and then back in their beds. I clean up after dinner and give Rachel a bath and then nurse her again. Josh and I usually watch tv during this time. Then he goes to bed, while I finish up with her. She's usually asleep around 12, and I go and zonk out myself. Then we start it all again! That's usually how it goes down, but there are variations. Not to mention all the diaper changes, and disciplining. A good day is when mommy gets a shower, Elijah and Hannah play nice together, and Rachel gets her naps in! :) It may not be an interesting life, but it's mine right now. And I wouldn't trade it. One day I know God will have something more challenging for me, but until that day comes I know I'm just supposed to care for my children and get a healthy, warm meal on the table for dinner!

In other news, we sold Josh's trailblazer (don't try and keep up with the vehicles he's had!) and we are now looking for a new truck. So that's really been consuming our weekends. Last weekend, we went down to Florida to look at a Silverado. It turned out to have a lot of issues, and wasn't worth buying. So next weekend, we are planning another trip to go and look at some Tacomas. I hope it works out!

We also just took a long trip up to Nashville for Thanksgiving. I was nervous about the trip, but all the babies did very well! I don't know how they know, but they always get fussy/cranky in the last 30 minutes of the trip. But we played alot of games, and watched a lot of movies, and they slept a good bit. And we had a good visit with family in Nashville. Elijah and Winston are at ages were they can actually play together, and I honestly think they did the most bonding out of the whole family! They were so ridiculously cute together. Each year, the kids will be able to play more and more together, which is really exciting to me. Thanksgiving day was a success too with very many delicious dishes! And we recorded another Folsom Family album! I only wish that the whole trip was longer! Oh, and I got all my hair chopped off when I was up there, and I LOVE it!!

Now we are just trying to stay warm, it's been freezing! And getting ready for Christmas. We got our house decorated this weekend, then we went and helped decorate at Josh's parents last night. Now we just have to go and help my grandfather next! :) And then I need to finish all the Christmas shopping!

This year has been crazy. Up until I had Rachel, the year has gone soooo slowly. I honestly felt like I was pregnant for years, and there was no end in sight! Then as soon as I had her, the year has flown! She's two months old today! But it feels like I just had her last week. We weighed her last night, and she's 9 1/2 pounds now! So she's starting to pack it on. Her body is much more fuller now, and her face is getting plump!

Anyways, that's about it. I was going to post some pics, but the camera is in the car and it's way too cold right now. So I'll get it and post a picture post later!

Third time's a charm!

For babies! This time around has been soooo much easier than with the last two. And everyone says that it's because you get more experienced, which is true I'm sure. But Rachel is such a good baby! I have to give her credit. Thank you Jesus for giving me such an easy going baby during this hectic time period. He definitely knows what He's doing. I can't begin to tell you how stressed out I was imagining handling two toddlers and a newborn. But He never gives us more than we can handle, why do I ever doubt??

Honestly, I have not been strict at all with Rachel with schedules. I figured I would just take it like it comes for the newborn stage, instead of stressing over it. Well, the last few nights she has slept for about 7 hours!!! Yippee, hooray!! You feel like a new person when you get that much sleep! And I can't even take credit for it, she's just been an amazing sleeper. Here she is snoozing the morning away!

And breastfeeding is better this time too. I actually enjoy sitting down to feed her. I did not enjoy it at all with Elijah and Hannah. I was just doing it because it was good for them and honestly, because it was free! I'm so glad that I've finally had that enjoyable breastfeeding experience!

Speaking of breastfeeding, I made some nursing pads. I was going through so many of the disposables that I thought I would try some cloth ones. I was going to buy some, but then decided I would just try making some. Why had I never thought of this? And I still didn't think of it, I had help from a friend! (Thanks Kayla for the idea!) Anyways, here's the finished product. I had a couple of trial runs, but these work great! I put a vinyl cloth on the back, so they don't leak through, and I figured I'd go all out and get a cute fabric for the front. I love zebra print!

I have a one month old?

(This was written over several days time, sorry if it's disjointed!)

So, Rachel is now a month old! Really hard to believe, it's flown by! She hasn't gone in for her 1 month check-up yet, so I'm not sure how much she weighs. She's still really small, still wearing newborn clothes. But I can tell she's grown a good bit, because the newborn diapers don't swallow her anymore! :)

We're doing pretty good. We have good and bad days, but the good days definitely outweigh the bad ones! Rachel is starting to sleep really good at night. Some nights she has actually slept for about 5 hours in a row, so that's been awesome! It really makes a difference in your attitude when you can get a few hours in a row of consistent sleep! Now if we could improve the time it takes to get her to sleep, we'll be doing good! The other night I was so completely frustrated, and just tired. I put her down like 4 times, with her waking and crying in like 15 minutes each time. I finally got her to sleep around 2, which was the night after the time change so my body was really feeling like it was 3. That was a rough night. I know we'll get through this phase, so I'm trying to stay positive and enjoy this time that she's still a newborn. It passes so quickly..

Elijah and Hannah are really good with her too. Elijah is super gentle. My favorite thing he says right now is when Rachel is looking at him. He says "that baby is lookin at me, her wikes me!!" It's really adorable. And Hannah wants to touch her all the time, which kinda can get frustrating. But at least I know that they like her, and don't feel too threatened by how much time I have to spend on her.

Last weekend we had a small party for Elijah and Hannah's birthdays. With having the new baby, I decided just to do a small family party this year, but it went really good. And they both understood that it was their birthdays, so they kept asking about it. "it's my berfday?" haha, I love talking toddlers!

Josh got a job! He's actually had it for about 2 weeks now. I've been reluctant to talk about it, because it started out as a temporary job. But his boss told him the other day that "he was a breath of fresh air" and that he wanted him to work for him fulltime. So this has definitely been a blessing! It's still in the construction business, which is kinda what Josh wanted to get out of, but he's enjoying this a little more because it's with a big construction company so he gets to do bigger jobs.

During this time of unemployment, God has really showed us alot of things. Things that we wouldn't have realized without going this time. So as hard as its been, I know ultimately that there was a reason we went through it. And we aren't completely out of the fog yet, but it feels like I can see the end. One thing we've learned is how to live pretty cheaply, and to rely on God for everything!! Which is really a hard lesson to learn, and one I'm still learning everyday. Another thing we feel strongly about is that Josh is supposed to go back to school. We are still waiting on exactly what he should be going back for, but without going through this drought I don't think we would have heard this at all.


Anyways, I can't think of anything else right now. And I have some other things to accomplish before the baby awakes!

Well, Rachel is now over a week old and we are doing really good. I'm actually very surprised. I had kinda prepared myself for the worse with bringing home a newborn and still taking care of two toddlers. But we are all settling in to a routine and it seems to be working. Rachel makes it easy though. Everyone kept telling me that their third was really laid back and easy to take care of, and that describes her to a T. She usually only cries when she's hungry, and the rest of the time she's either sleeping or just watching things go on. There's usually a lot of action with Elijah and Hannah, so I guess they are keeping her entertained. And I thought I would have difficulties with them being loud and waking her, but she will sleep through all of it! Even the screaming right by her ear! Here she is just looking around.

Elijah and Hannah are adjusting very well with her too. They like to watch me change her diapers, and when she cries they will run to get me and they'll ask "Baby's hungry, Mama?" It's really cute. I can already tell that they are going to be protective over her. Josh's dad asked them last night if Rachel could stay with them, and Elijah got really upset and said no and that she had to go home with us. :) I also think having the baby has diverted their possessiveness over my attention. They don't seem to fight as often, and I'm catching them playing nicely with one another more. So that's been a plus as well! Here's Elijah talking to Rachel. She turned towards his voice and was really listening!

Hannah wanted a picture with her too!

So, life is really good right now. I feel so blessed to have Rachel. She's just a joy. The only real complaint is the cramping and the boob soreness! My milk is definitely in abundance, and I can't really figure out what I should do to fix it. I've had to pump for the last few nights, because I couldn't even lay down they were so full. But I know if I keep that up, my milk will never even out. You'd think I would be a pro at this by now. But with Elijah, I was pumping all the time because he wouldn't breastfeed for the first couple of months. Then when Hannah came, I absolutely refused to pump. I refused to pump or give her a bottle, because I just wanted it to work so badly. Now this time, I would like to have some stored milk and I would like to try a bottle with her when she's a little older, so I'm kinda new to this. But I know things will get better! And we'll figure it out.

I'm definitely not ready to take them all out by myself, so nothing much going on except for us hanging out at the house! And right now, naptime is calling my name...

Rachel Grace - Her Birth Story!

Well, we had our precious baby girl for those of you who haven't heard through facebook! She was born on Thursday, October 7 at 11:09 pm.

The day started out very normal. I had a scheduled doctor's appointment that morning. I was supposed to have decided if I was going to allow the doctor to schedule an induction, and I was going to talk to the doctor that day about it. Because of all that going on, Josh decided to go with me to the appointment to give me some moral support and to just meet the doctor and all. When we got there, they hooked me up to the monitor like always. Nothing was really going on until about half-way through when it started showing contractions about every 5 minutes or so. They weren't painful at all, so I honestly thought it was still Braxton-hicks going on. The doctor came in and commented on them and asked if I would like to be checked. I said yes! Please! I thought that would at least help me make a decision about the induction.

So he checked me, and I was 4 cm!! That's when I started getting excited. We were getting some progress now! He said he would like for me to go to the hospital to continue to get monitored because we might actually have a baby today! I asked if I could go home first to get my hospital bag, and he said that would be fine. So Josh and I went home and got everything together. We got the babies bag packed, my bag packed, and then we ate a nice lunch together. I was seriously taking my time, because I didn't want to lay in a hospital bed all day! Then we went to Josh's parents' house to drop the baby's bag off and check on them. Then we headed to the hospital; it was about 2 p.m. when we got there. I was feeling contractions during all this, but nothing that really made me think I was in labor.

We got to the hospital and they got me all checked in and strapped in. Contractions were still regular, but staying about the same for about an hour. Then they started getting smaller on the monitor. The funny thing is that these contractions were the strongest ones! I asked the nurse about that and she said that it's not always accurate. Well, after a little while of those they decided to send me home. They scheduled me an appointment for Monday, and a tentative induction for Tuesday. I was pretty sure I would go into labor before then, though, but I still didn't think it would be that day!

So we drove home and I dropped Josh off, and then I went to pick up the babies. I got to their house and layed down with Abbie in the bed and watched TV for a while until the babies got up from their nap. The contractions were slowly getting stronger and stronger and closer together. By about 5 I was pretty sure I was in labor. Contractions were about 5 minutes apart and starting to get hard to talk through. I wanted to do as much of the labor at home though, so I went for about an hour and half like that. Then about 6:30, they were about 3 minutes apart but still manageable. I went to the bathroom though, and I was bleeding. This scared me more than anything. I didn't bleed with my first two, so I either thought something was wrong or I was about to have a baby right then! Josh's mom told me it was probably the mucous plug. I debated staying home a little longer, but Josh was concerned so we decided to head back to the hospital. Everyone kept telling us that your third labor would happen a lot quicker too, and we were not prepared for a home birth!

We got to the hospital about 7 and I got strapped in again. (By the way, I loathe those straps! And having to lay on my back!) And it was confirmed, I was definitely in labor. The nurse checked me and I was 6 cm. Which was kinda disappointing. I had hoped to be farther along than that before I headed to the hospital. But I was excited too, because we were definitely having a baby! Well, I labored in that darn hospital bed (so uncomfortable!) for about 3 more hours! Josh was so good. He stayed right beside me, and helped me through each contraction. The nurse checked me at about 10 p.m. and I was only 8 cm. I was beginning to think that I wasn't going to make it through this delivery without pain meds. I was soooo extremely tired too. After some really hard contractions, I begged her to check me again! I was at 10 cm at about 11 pm!! Finally! My water had still not broken though, and I asked if she could get him to come break it. (They had to break my water on my first 2)

So the doctor came in and they got me in the position to push. When the next contraction came, he told me to start pushing. I had just started to, when he was like "Oh! Your membranes are still intact!" So he broke it right then, and the baby's head immediately popped out! But I had no idea! They hadn't told me anything. He was doing something, but I couldn't see. Apparantly, I found out later, he was sucking out the baby's mouth and nose, but I thought he was just getting things ready down there for the delivery. He then told me, "ok, one good push!" So I pushed again, and I felt the release of the whole body come out! I was so surprised, and relieved! That rush of adrenaline came, and it was amazing! I felt so amazingly good! I absolutely LOVE that feeling! So I had a hard labor, but the actual pushing lasted all of 30 seconds! I am still in shock that it happened so quickly! Actual birth time was 11:09 p.m.

So, they took her and got her all cleaned up and weighed and measured. She weighed 6 lbs. and 0.3 ounces, and was 19 inches long! Then they gave her to me, and she immediately started sucking. She nursed for about 30 minutes, and never had any problems! Thank you Lord for a good nursing baby! She's done very well ever since too!

We were released from the hospital on Saturday, and have been taking it easy ever since. I had a doctor's appointment on Monday. I had a small superficial clot on my left leg. And then Rachel had an appointment yesterday. She's doing great. She weighed in at 6 pounds even. So not much weight loss at all! Today was my first actual day of being alone with all three kids. And it was a lot better than I imagined! I actually got a shower, and the kids were all fed and we all got a nap! Pretty good I'd say!

I'm so tired...

of being pregnant and dealing with doctors. I had another discouraging appointment today. Everything went fine, just the conversation with the doctor upset me.

They put me on the monitor as usual, and the babies heartrate was looking great. He came in and started asking me questions about what the specialist said. I told him about growth being good, and he immediately asked if the doctor had said anything about inducing at 39 weeks. Can't this guy talk to me about anything else??

I know it's his job and he's probably just being cautious, but I was very annoyed. He said that again that it would probably be good to induce, and I finally just stepped up and asked him why he thought that, and how I didn't understand why I couldn't go full term if the baby's growth was good. He basically said that they induce at 39 if there might be a problem, because that's when the babies lungs are usually developed enough. He said that the baby was in the 5th percentile on size, and they wouldn't be able to tell if anything was wrong until it was delivered. So it really felt like scare tactics. And that's what I am now, just plain scared.

He said if I really wanted to I could refuse to be induced, but I would have to sign a waiver saying I refused. I'm just confused, and don't know what to do. I don't want to jeopardize the baby's health, but I also know that God has everything planned with this baby and my body. I just want to do the right thing, and I honestly don't know what that is right now.

I'm really still praying that my body will go into labor this week, and all this worrying will be over nothing. I have to make a decision about the induction by Thursday though. And if I go with the doctor, then they'll induce on Monday.

So to all my readers, can you please pray for God's will to be done, and for me to hear from God about the right choice, and for peace during this time? I would greatly appreciate it, and hopefully this will all be over soon!

Gender Prediction :)

A few weeks ago I did some online tests and old wives' tales that supposedly predict gender. They were not very conclusive whatsoever. About half said boy and half girl.

Well, just for fun Josh and I did them again including a few that I didn't do before. Here are the results:

I took 3 different quizzes-

Old Wives' Tales- 67% Girl
Childbirth.org- 72% Girl
Just Mommy- 83% Girl

Needle over belly- It went from side to side, which predicts girl.

Wedding ring on string- It also went side to side, Girl.

Even & Odd Myth- This one said that you take the mother's age at conception, and the year of conception. If they are both even or both odd, it's a girl. If they are different, it's a boy.
Well, I was 26 and it's 2010.....so Girl again!

Chinese birth chart- Now I did this one last time and it said boy. But the site was super complicated, where you had to change the age to lunar age with a formula and using your longitude. I found a much easier site this time that changes that for you, and got a different result. Girl this time! So I'm not sure which one was accurate....I still believe in my math abilities. But it's crazy that it was girl this time.

Lastly, I did the drano test. I was cleaning out a cabinet and found some drano in the back, but it wasn't the crystals it was in the form of a gel. But I still tried it.
This one said to mix your urine and drano. If it changes to a dark color, it's a boy. And if it stays the same, it's a girl. Well when I mixed them, they just stayed seperated. So I stirred it with a stick outside, and it just turned a dull yellow. So, this test was probably not very conclusive. But if I had to go one way or another, I guess I would say girl!

So that's the results! If all is correct, we're having a girl! haha. I don't trust these tests at all, so I'm not expecting anything. But it was fun testing it all out!

I love good reports!

Well, this week didn't start off that great. I went in to see my regular doctor, and during the monitoring, he noticed that the baby's heartrate was going down when I had some contractions. It didn't happen everytime, but a few times. He said that it could indicate low amniotic fluid. So he made me wait to get an ultrasound done. When he did the ultrasound, he did notice that the amniotic fluid was low, but he wanted to get a second opinion. After waiting forever, and praying like crazy!, Dr. Adcock came in and did another one. This time he found that the fluid was just fine! Jesus is good! It feels like doctors just like to scare you. They tell you the worst possible scenario for everything.

Well, the amniotic fluid was good, but he also measured the baby and said that it was still very small. I was scheduled to see the specialist on Thursday, so he said that I should still go to that, but he was fairly confident that they would need to induce me on Friday. I'm so tired of hearing those words! I asked him several questions about it, and if we could go a more natural route like stripping my membranes or breaking my water. He said that those are not guaranteed to put me in labor, so he would need to use pitocin. That way it would be easier to keep my blood levels right. I was so frustrated! It felt like he wasn't listening to me at all. I know he was probably just being cautious, but I don't understand what the difference is in having a natural birth. I did it with my first two, without complications.

Anyways, I left there a complete wreck. Frustration just brings tears in my case. So I cried all the way home. I just didn't feel any peace with the whole situation. And I left there basically thinking we were going to have a baby on Friday, so I had to get things ready.

So that's basically what I've been doing all week. Just trying to tie up loose ends, get the house clean, pack the bags, everything I could think of!

Well, yesterday was my appointment with the specialist. Over the week, I had started feeling a lot more peace. (Thanks for the prayers!) And I had a gut feeling that everything was going to be just fine with the growth of the baby. I was still a little nervous though. So Josh's mom drove me to Albany, just in case I did go into labor. (Seriously, I'm having contractions like crazy these days!) I got my ultrasound, and the doctor came in and said that the baby was growing just fine! It had grown 15 days-worth of growing in 15 days, so it's right on track. It's still small, though, estimating about 5 3/4 lbs. But they are thinking it's just a small baby.

I was sooo very happy to hear him say that! I actually forgot all my other questions to ask him, because that's really all I wanted to hear! He did say they would probably like to induce at 39 weeks because of the baby being small. Which I really don't understand. But I'm just praying that I just go into labor before that time comes. I really feel like it could be any day now!

The baby was also laying horizontally during the ultrasound. I really think it's just moving all around though. Because last week it's head was down. I think it'll get in the right position, when he/she is ready to come!

Josh and I were talking about dates the baby would come, and we realized that it could actually come on 10/10/10! Wouldn't that be really cool??

It's getting closer!

I can't believe how fast this pregnancy has flown by. In some ways, I just want it to all slow down so I can be a little more prepared, but I'm definitely getting to the point of not wanting to be pregnant anymore! To be able to eat what I want again, to have energy again, to move without hurting! But the newborn stage is so hard to me. I've heard someone call the first three months "baby bootcamp." And I definitely understand that. The sleep deprivation and all the crazy emotions are extremely hard to deal with at times, but I know we'll get through it!

I'm about 36 1/2 weeks now, so we are almost there! I had two doctor's appointments this week, and everything looks pretty good. I'm still measuring a little small, but he said the baby's heartbeat is looking really good. I had one strong contraction today, like peaking around 100, and I asked him about it and he said that they would not try to stop labor from now on. So it really could be any day, even though I feel like I still have a couple of weeks at least. I would definitely like the baby to get a little bigger. I have another ultrasound next Thursday to check growth, so hopefully everything will be fine.

They are actually beginning to discuss induction if the baby is still small next week. He said that it might be good to induce at 39, so that he/she will have a better opportunity to grow outside of the uterus. It's not definite yet, but just talking to me about it makes me nervous. I REALLY want to go as natural as possible, and inducing at 39 just seems silly. I want to do the right/healthy thing for the baby, but I honestly don't understand why they would need to induce if the baby is growing. What if it's just a small baby? I'm not very assertive at all, but I really want to tell him no. I mean, is there a graceful way to tell a doctor that I think he's wrong, and refuse to be treated??

I'm praying that it won't even come to that. Either the baby will have made leaps and bounds in growth. Or I'll have the baby on my own before 39. It's so strange. I've been worried this whole time about going full-term with this baby, and now they are already discussing taking it early! I can't seem to please anyone with my pregnancies! :)

Good news, though, is that I had my last progesterone shot on Monday! This is the medicine that was supposed to help me go full-term without being on bedrest, and I think it did a pretty good job! So, I'm not sure how the medicine wears off or anything, but we'll see how next week goes without it!

A week full of doctors!

This week has been somewhat busy, but it's only been busy because of all the doctor's appointments!

Monday, I had a doctor's appointment first thing in the morning. I went in and they put the monitor on me. I could already feel that I was having some contractions that morning, but they were not regular at all, and I felt like they were just Braxton hicks. The monitor was showing some faint contractions, but they were so randomly spaced. So, when the doctor came in I asked him if the machine would pick up braxton hicks, and he said it would but I was probably not able to feel them. I assured him that I was feeling every single one. They weren't painful, but I could definitely feel things getting tight and then relaxing. He started asking me all these questions about how they felt, and then I think he was just being overly cautious. He wanted to do a fetal fibronectin test, which can tell you if you would go into labor within the next 3 days. And while waiting for the results, which he said would be about an hour, then he wanted me to go to the hospital to continue to be monitored. So, I went to the hospital and got strapped in again. I was still having contractions, and they were pretty close together, but not very strong at all. I thought I would only be there an hour, but it ended up being like 4 hours. It gets so extremely uncomfortable laying on your back and being strapped to a monitor. I really thought I was going to go crazy! FINALLY, they came and told me that the test came back negative, which was a big relief. But they wanted to give me some brethine to stop the contractions before they let me go. So eventually, the contractions stopped all together and they let me go home! I was starving when I left!

I took it easy the rest of the day, and relaxed on Tuesday as well. Then I had another appointment with the specialist on Wednesday. They did an ultrasound, and said that the baby was still a little small, weighing about 5 pounds. But it had grown 13 days worth in 14 days. I thought that sounded pretty good, but I have to go again in 2 weeks to check growth. The doctor really thinks that it's just a small baby, which is fine as long as he/she is healthy! The ultrasound also showed that the baby was stretched out sideways. So still not completely in the right position, but closer! :)

Then today, I had another appointment with my regular doctor. He monitored me again, and he said the baby looked really good and no contractions at all! So that was really good! He also felt my stomach, and he thinks that the baby is head down! So that's really good!! I think because it is so small that it's still just swimming around in there! :)

If we could go a few more weeks, I would be happy. Just to get him/her a little bigger, and for me to finish some things around here. I've been nesting like crazy, but I feel pretty good at what's been accomplished. I have a total of 7 frozen casseroles in the freezer, and I have one more I'm planning on making. And then just some basic clean-up and packing is all I feel i have left. It would be so great to know when labor will begin. That way I could clean the house the day before! I just keep thinking about how I just want to come home from the hospital to a really clean house. Weird, the things that I think about!

Oh, very exciting news! (At least to me!) Only one more progesterone shot! Good thing, because the muscles in my butt are starting to retaliate!

So different...

The other night I was sitting in the living room watching Elijah and Hannah play, and I was amazed at just how different they are. They've grown up in very similar environments, but you can already see there personalities coming out. I think it's fascinating!

Elijah is definitely more sensitive. He's sensitive in situations and towards me. When he does something he's not supposed to be, and I get on to him, he's just extremely upset about it. I really don't have to spank him either, he just realizes that I'm upset and it upsets him. He cries and then immediately wants to be in my lap to make sure I'm not mad at him. I love this about him! He just wants to please me. Because once he gets in trouble for something, I rarely have to tell him no again. He's so tenderhearted, and very much a rule follower.

But because he's so sensitive, little things just bother him. And he's getting into a stage of just whining about it. He likes things to be a certain way, and when his world changes, it upsets him greatly! Hannah likes to just mess with him too. She knows that he gets upset, so she's usually just barely doing something that annoys him. And then the fights erupt! We are trying really hard to "toughen him up" a little bit!

Hannah on the other hand is completely different. She wants to be the center of everything. And she wants to do everything her brother is doing. She's our comedian. She's always trying to find ways to make me laugh, and she usually succeeds. I love watching her! She's got so much spirit and personality! But she is definitely a handful. Unlike Elijah, she has to be disciplined ALOT! She's always getting into things, usually for the dozenth time! We've caught her eating deodorant several times, and desitin, and many other things throughout the house. But she's so carefree. She gets upset when she's disciplined, but she's usually over it in less than a minute, and trying to get you to smile again. And she's tough, she'll fall head first into the dirt and get up and say "uh oh" and wipe herself off and keep playing!

Lately, we've been trying to do things seperately for both of them and let them do something fun alone. Elijah loves these times, he LAVISHES in them! But Hannah, the whole time she's away, is asking "Where's Elijah?" I mean like over and over and over. It's funny at first, until you explain it to her for the 100th time!

I just love how they are so different, and I can't wait to see how their personalities expand as they grow. And what will the new baby be like? Should be very interesting!

A little of this and that!

Today we finally went back to church. It's probably been 3-4 weeks since we've been. Things just kept coming up, like being out of town or having sick children, but we made it back today and it was really good. The church is still without a permanent pastor, but I've really been enjoying Josh's dad filling in. He's such a good leader and teacher, and I've learned a lot! I think the search for a new pastor is coming to a close soon. At least Josh's dad hinted at that, so I'm a little sad. Change is hard. And I'm a little nervous about who it will be and if I'll like him. I've been praying a lot lately that the elders will make the right decision.

We had a really good time visiting with family this weekend! Denise and Jacob, and their son Malachi, came down from Nashville. We hung out Friday night, and then they had Malachi's first birthday party Saturday afternoon. And then we had dinner and hung out that night too. So it was a full weekend. I miss them alot, and they really make us consider moving to Nashville to be closer! Maybe one day!

Josh is still on the job hunt. He's applied almost everywhere and had several interviews, but nothing has panned out. It's crazy because some of the interviews he's had, he came out really believing he would get the job and then some crazy circumstance keeps him from getting it. It's really been unbelievable. Just Friday, he was guaranteed a job but he had to have a clearance letter from the doctor for his back from a previous car accident. Well we didn't have one in our records and of course the doctor's office was closed and the paperwork had to be in that day at 5!! So frustrating. But I know God has big plans for him, and hopefully something will happen soon!

Josh also sold his truck today too! He figured he could go to something smaller and make a little extra money that way. So that's good! But now we are down to one car again until he finds something else.

In pregnancy news, my body is really starting to gear up for labor. I've been having Braxton hicks like crazy!! It got so bad one day that I ended up calling the doctor about it. They were happening about every 15 minutes, and the nurse told me to drink a lot of water and lie down the rest of the day. I think I had just overdid it and gotten dehydrated, because they eventually calmed down. I had a doctor's appointment Thursday, and still no contractions to be concerned about! I'll be 35 weeks on Tuesday, so in that sense things are going really good this time!

The doctor's are still concerned about the baby being a little small though. And the baby is still breach, so that's also a concern. So if you think about us, please pray that the baby's growth is up, and that he/she turns and gets into the right position! My regular doctor has now moved me up to two appointments a week!! And I also have an appointment with the specialist this week. So 3 doctor's visits this week! I'm pooped thinking about it! And then they tell you to not overdo it! :) Some good news, though, I only have 1 or 2 more progesterone shots in the butt to do! I'm excited about that!

Anyways, that's all for now. I'll update when I get reports from the doctor's!

Rough week..

This week has been...well...no joyride that's for sure. Why do weeks like this happen? I mean I can seriously handle a bad day, but when it just keeps escalating, it's really hard for me to lay it all down and trust that things will work out. Just being honest.

I hate that life revolves around money. I mean, I wouldn't consider myself a big spender by no means, but life just requires money. House payments, electricity, groceries all require it. Josh's business is still really slow right now. And I always thought that with Josh being self-employed, I was really trusting God with our finances. But we are definitely learning to trust on a new level completely. And it's harder than I ever imagined.

The weirdest thing is that we've gone through slow times with the business before, but this is almost like all the doors are shutting. So not only are we trying to trust God with our finances, but we are also in the position of trusting Him to show us what the next step is. And it feels like we're just waiting, waiting, waiting. As I've said before, I'm just not good at that. But I'm really trying to learn how to be!

Anyways, I guess we could really use some prayers right now. Just for doors to open up. And for Josh to have wisdom of what career he needs to be in, etc. And for peace during this whole period. That would be really nice!

In other news, I had two doctor's appointments this week. Yesterday I went to the specialist in Albany and had another ultrasound. Everything looked good, but he said the baby was on the small side. So he wants to recheck in two weeks to make sure the growth is ok. I'm not really too worried about that though. I mean, they put me on a diet and I eat what I can, and ALL the time..but I've still lost almost 10 pounds. So, I think it's just part of that which I can help with.

I went to my regular doctor this morning, and everything looks good! Still no contractions, so I'm really happy about that! That means no contraction meds, and no bed rest so far! Which really helps when you have two small babies at home! :) I guess those progesterone shots are doing what they need to be doing!

Anyways, that's all for now! I'll update again! And thank you in advance for the prayers!

New beds!

Here are the pictures I promised. It's really just of the new beds and new bedding. I still have a little work to do on the room. Like new wall hangings that match, and I want to make some new curtains. But this is the new twin bed that Josh made for Elijah. It's hard to see, but it also has three built-in drawers at the bottom. It turned out really good! I'm very happy with it!

This weekend and an update!

This last weekend was pretty fun. On Friday night, we were actually all home, so we had a family meal together. Which, sadly, hasn't happened in a while. So that was good! Then Saturday me and the babies hung out at the house until that afternoon. Then we went and visited some friends for a little while. It was a short visit, but it was good to see them. Then our church had a picnic at the Y. It was actually really nice! They had a big swimming area opened to us, so I took the babies in the kiddy part. They loved running through the water! So we played in there for a while. Then, it was threatening to storm, so they closed the pool for a little while. We had enough fun, though, so we got out anyways. Then because of the storm the weather was so nice! It was nice and cool, with a breeze!! That really makes being outside enjoyable! And it didn't rain the entire time! So we ate, visited, and played on the playground. We were all VERY pooped when we got home, but it was fun!

Then Sunday, we went to church and all came home and took naps! Those naps are so nice! When we got up, we started working on getting Elijah and Hannah's new room together. Josh has been building Elijah a new bed, so it was finally ready to set up. So we moved Hannah to his crib, and Elijah to a twin. I've been wanting to get this done for a while, because I wanted them both to get adjusted to sleeping in new beds before the baby came. They did awesome! Both of them were super excited about getting "new" beds and they went right to bed! I could get used to that! I'll take some pictures later and show you their beds!

I had another doctor's appointment last week, and guess what!!! My beloved Dr. Adcock is back!!! I was so very excited to see him!! I think he might be on light duty, but still..just having him back in the office brings a sense of peace! The other temporary doctor that I was seeing is gone! So no more worries about the creepy little man delivering my baby! They do have another doctor in the office, which I was scheduled to see. He turned out to be amazing though! He made me feel so at ease! When I got to the office, I was feeling some light contractions. So when I told them, they put me on the monitor. Thankfully, there was nothing going on. Probably just Braxton Hicks. But I kinda felt bad making them wait, but he put me right at ease. He said that that's what he was there for, and if I had ANY concerns that they were there for me 24 hours a day! That was really nice to hear. So I'm still not sure who is actually going to be the delivering doctor, but I would seriously be ok with both of them!

This is my 32 week mark. Which is when I started going into early labor with Hannah. So it makes me nervous, I think. Any little pressure or back pain or anything, and I start to wonder. I've just been proclaiming peace over the whole situation for myself, and if something is wrong that I'll know for sure. They are going to start seeing me every week from now on, and putting the monitor on to check for contractions, so that eases my worry a little too.

My diabetes diet is going really well though. I don't know if it's because I've done it before, but it's really not as hard as I remember. I think with Elijah it was hard, because I wasn't used to drinking water. But now that's all I drink, so it was one more thing I didn't have to try and cut out. The only hard part is when people are eating desserts in front of you. And breakfast is hard. You can't have any sugary or carby foods, which really limits the breakfast selection. I'm already really tired of eggs! Cooked in all ways! :)

Anyways, that's all for now. I'll upload some pics of the new room when I get a chance!

Good and Bad...

Well, I'll start with the good! As I said in my last post, Josh had to go to court against some previous renters. They were originally trying to fight the case. Well, when he got there the clerk said that they were required to sit and talk together and try to come to an agreement before going before the judge. So they went into a room, and the guy just admitted he owes us money! So they came to an agreement to pay us monthly until the debt is cleared! So that turned out really awesome! I guess the guy realized that he didn't really have a case, and would rather pay us monthly then to have it garnished from his wages. So anyways, they signed a legal document saying how much he owes and how much he's supposed to pay every month, so it was worth it to have something in writing with a judge's signature on it!

The bad news...I failed my gestational diabetes test. Which does suck, but I've come to grips with it! It's hard doing a strict diet when your body craves all kinds of foods, but I think the hardest part to me is having to check your blood sugar like 5 times a day! Your fingers get so sore! But being made to do a diet was really good with my last two babies because I hardly gained any weight at all during my last trimester. With this baby, I'm already over the 30 lb mark! Yikes! So I think it will be good! And I would much rather adhere to a diet than to have a 10 lb+ baby! So it'll be ok, and I'm really in the last stretch of pregnancy so I know I'll survive!

Just an update!

Well, things are moving so quickly these last couple of months of pregnancy! I feel like I still have so much to do to get ready, but the days are just speeding by! Josh is building a big boy bed for Elijah, so that's a major priority! I want to get him settled and sleeping well before the baby comes. So we are working on that!

I had my 3 hr sugar test yesterday. I failed the first one, so you have to go back and do a longer test. I had to be at the hospital at 7:30, and I didn't leave until close to 12! That was a long morning. Still waiting to hear back from the doctor for the results!

I think Elijah is pretty much fully potty trained now!!! Praise the Lord! We've gone a whole week now with absolutely no accidents! We have still been putting a diaper on him for bedtime and naptimes, but he's also been waking up dry! This is a major accomplishment for me as a mother! I really think I have been worrying and dreading over this time since he was first born! :) And it really is incredible how far diapers go now only having one in them!

I think I decided to write today to avoid being nervous. Josh had to go to court today, and I'm anxiously awaiting his call to see how it went. We have a rental house in Valdosta, and our previous renters left the house very much damaged, and also left without paying us ALOT of back rent. So Josh decided to take out a judgement against them. Not really for the money's sake, but to show them that you have responsibilites! Anyways, the guy is fighting him on it! Hopefully, the guy doesn't even show up! Or the judge is understanding. I'll let you know how it goes!

So exciting!!!

This is probably not as exciting to anyone but me and Josh, but Elijah FINALLY pooped in the potty tonight!!! I can't even begin to express how proud and just utterly happy I was! This is seriously probably only really great for me, because I was the one having to clean up accidents! And I seriously want to cry every time it happens; it's that disgusting!

I used to watch "Jon and Kate plus 8" and I remember a specific episode where some of the kids had pooped in the potty, and she took a picture of the poop with the kid sitting beside it. haha..At the time, I thought, that's kinda gross. But you know, I seriously wanted to take a picture! I just wanted the whole world to know!

Something new...

For a long time now, I've really felt like something new is about to happen in our lives. Of course, most of you would say.."Um, yeah, a new baby!" But it's really been different from that. Like God has been slowly preparing my heart for a big change. The problem is that I have NO idea what this could entail. And this is a problem because I'm a huge planner. I like to know what's going to happen, and when things change it takes me a while to adjust. Josh is totally the opposite. He would fly to Austrailia tomorrow if something came up and he needed to do that. So, he's been rubbing off on me for the last 8 years or so. And it's not AS hard for me to be spontaneous as it used to be.

But, like I said, it's almost like God is slowly preparing me for this change. And right now, I'm sooo ready! I'm to the point now where I feel like "ok, bring it on!" And this is seriously a very new place for me!

The only hard part now is...the waiting! I'm trying to be as patient as possible, but that's also one of my faults. So in all of this, God is teaching me to be spontaneous, but to be patient at the same time. And wow, I am struggling.

Josh and I went up to be prayed for last week, and the people who prayed really hit some things dead on. They said while we were in this place of waiting, we really needed to get into the Word, which we had both been feeling. So we started a new "read through the Bible" plan together, and it's been really good for me! We have been reading seperately and then coming together at night to talk about it. I not only feel closer to God, but to Josh as well. So I'm really enjoying it!

Anyways, I really just needed to get that off my chest. :) And hopefully, this big change will come soon! Who knows, maybe it's just a change that needs to be made in us. We'll see!

It seems like I can't get this blogging thing down. I think about blogging, but when I actually sit down to do anything I almost always end up going to check on my kids because one of them is screaming! It's constant. They fight a lot! Hannah is definitely an instigator and she knows how to pester Elijah, and Elijah is just a big tattle tale. Some days it's really quite exhausting! But then they have moments like this:

And it really makes my heart melt! They really do love one another, and they also play A LOT! They entertain one another, and many times throughout the day I hear them laughing at each other! Like really rolling on the floor laughing- it's so cute! Must be their inside jokes or something. So I guess I'll just have to take the bad with the good!

In other news, we had a pretty good week down at the river for the fourth. We were only going to stay a few days, but because of some different circumstances, the babies and I ended up staying all week. Josh came home to get some work done, and then rejoined us again at the end of the week. Overall, it was a pretty good week. We had some ups and downs with a few people at the beginning of the week, but after they left it was really great. Very relaxing, and just good to be away from home. Josh's older brother Chris and his family came down from Nashville, TN the next weekend and it was good to see them. Elijah and Hannah were kinda old enough this year to be able to play with their youngest, Winston, so that was fun to watch! Here's a picture of them:

I also had another ultrasound yesterday, and they said everything looked really good. My amniotic fluid had increased to a very normal amount, so I was very happy to hear that! You don't realize how much you are stressing about something on the inside, until something happens to release it. And as soon as she said the numbers, something fell off. I'm definitely still struggling with not worrying. I know Jesus died for all diseases/sickness to be under His authority and ours too, but sometimes it's hard to apply. I'm working on it, though! How differently we could all live if we really took that to heart! I really want to live in that kind of victory!

Josh's work has been really slow lately, too, but God is definitely taking care of us. And we're learning how to be good stewards with our money for sure! This week was exceptionally slow, so he's taking time to work on the rental house we own in Valdosta. It needed a lot of work after some renters moved out, so it'll be good when that's all finished. That way we can either try to sell it or just rent it again, and that will be some sort of income coming in!

Here at the house, I am still working with Elijah and potty training. I always knew it would be hard, but the emotions that come with it are so extreme. I mean dancing for joy when he goes in the potty, and then wanting to just bawl and scream when it doesn't seem like he's getting it! But we are making progress! The last few days he has been wearing underwear, and has had NO pee-pee accidents. We comes and tells me when he has to pee pee too! So I'm really proud of him. Now I just have to figure out how to get him to do Number 2 in the potty. Should be interesting! Sorry for all the potty talk, but that's one of the big issues in my life right now! :)

Anyways, that's about it for now! And I'm in need of a shower, so I'll blog again later!

Too long!

Gosh, I just realized that I haven't written on here in almost a month! Seems crazy, because that means a WHOLE month has slipped away already. Lately I've felt time just flying by, and there's no slowing it down!

I'll try to update as much as I can. Not all the much really goes on around here during the day. My days are pretty much exactly the same. We eat breakfast, the babies play and I usually take a shower, we eat lunch, Naptime (which I usually partake in these days), more playing, and then time for supper and bedtime. We break up the monotomy with visits to family/friends, library visits, doctor visits, and grocery store visits! haha :) What an exciting life you lead when you have toddlers! :)

Usually I don't mind in the least, but lately I've been feeling weird. A little on the worthless side. Like, is this all my life is? Changing diapers and making meals? Because it really feels like these two things take up about 75% of my time! Just being honest! And sometimes I struggle with the fact that I'm staying home, and not helping bring in any money. I think this is really all stemming from the fact that Josh's work has been really slow lately, and we've been tight on money because of it. I know God is taking care of us, but it's really, really hard sometimes to trust when you have a house payment staring you in the face! And I feel like I can't even contribute anything!

I also know that my time with my two babies is precious, and if I had to go back to work, I would seriously hate being away from them. They do such amazing things every day, and I couldn't imagine not being able to be a part of that! And I know that this feeling of worthlessness is really just a lie straight from the devil! I think this is why I haven't blogged in a while. Just trying to deal with a lot of different emotions. And being pregnant definitely doesn't help the plethora of emotions!

In other news, we are slowing going about potty training with Elijah. Every time I change his diaper, I take him to the potty. And just various times during the day. And he always pees, even if it is just a little bit! But this is progress to me!! We haven't been pushing it real hard because we've been going out of town a lot for the summer. But as soon as it calms down around here, I'm gonna move to my new next step. Underwear! Does anyone have any suggestions on any? People have told me about some types that make them feel wet, but don't make as much mess. I've done a little research online, but I haven't decided on anything.

I also went to the specialist doctor today and had an ultrasound. He said that the amniotic fluid around the baby is a little low. Still in the normal range, but just on the low side. So I'm scheduled for several more ultrasounds in the next month to monitor that. I know that I shouldn't be worried, he told me not to be worried, but does anyone else feel like when it rains, it pours?? Because sometimes I can't help feeling overwhelmed with everything. So please pray that my levels would increase and there are no underlying problems going on. That would definitely be appreciated. :)

Well, we are getting ready to go down to the river for several days for the fourth. We leave tomorrow, so I should probably get on the washing of clothes and packing! I'm excited about going this year. Time with family is always good! And it doesn't hurt having extra help with the babies, and getting fed all your meals! I love that part! :)

My potty plan.

Haha..the title makes me laugh. :) And just a warning...THIS IS ALL ABOUT PEEING AND POTTY TRAINING!!!

Other people are probably not as obsessive about thinking things through and making a plan about potty training, but with how it's going with Elijah I've just been thinking about it ALOT! I would really like for him to be potty trained before the baby comes, and I'm busy adjusting to an infant. But I've also heard that you shouldn't even try if there's a big change coming because they might revert and you have to go through potty training again. Which doesn't sound like fun at all. Any thoughts on this?

I was also thinking about the best way for him to learn, and repetition seems to work most of the time. We will go over colors or numbers 100 times, and he doesn't seem to even be listening. And then one day, I'll hear him counting to himself or pointing out all the different colors. So I'm going to try and use that in potty training.

Several months ago I bought a little potty and was just going to let him sit on it every now and then just to get used to it. He did good for the first few days, but then all of a sudden it was like he was afraid of it. When I would ask him to go sit on the potty, he would scream and yell that he did not want to, and he likes his diapers. So I didn't want to traumatize him with it, so I backed off and didn't do it for a few days. I tried again, and he did the same thing! And I mean screaming and crying about not sitting on it! So I was dumbfounded. What do I do now?

Well I really just gave up on it for a few months all together. Well, just recently we've been getting him to sit on the potty a little bit at a time, without a big fuss. So hopefully this is progress! So here's my plan. And I am always open to any ideas/suggestions!

First, I'm going to keep letting him sit on the potty every time I change his diaper. So every time he is wet, I think I'll just take him to the potty and let him sit there and explain that next time he pees that he should go in the potty. He's real analytical, so maybe that will start him thinking more about it. Especially if I do it every time. Repetition.

Then after doing that for a while, I thought the best next step would be to start taking him to the potty every 15-20 minutes to see if I can actually catch him when he has to pee. He's NEVER successfully peed in the potty, so I think if he does it at least once or twice, something will click! Hopefully!

Then I think I'll move him to underwear, so he can realize when he's peeing and he will feel the need to pee in the potty instead of in his underwear.

Anyways, this is all just a plan I had in my head. I thought if I could write it out, it would also help me stick to the plan! So we'll see how it goes!!

Well, life is just flying by as usual! During the week, we usually don't have too much going on. Well, except for all my doctors' appointments. But we've been busy pretty much every weekend, and it doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon! I guess that's summer for you!

I had an ultrasound yesterday, and Josh finally got to go too. I've had several ultrasounds already, but they've all been in Albany during the day, so he hasn't been able to go with me. But this one was with my regular doctor in the late afternoon. I guess this is the ultrasound where you would find out the sex, but at the beginning of this pregnancy we both decided that we wanted to wait. Josh wanted to see if he could guess what it was, and he thought he figured it out. But I honestly didn't see anything! The legs were tight together the whole time, and I tried not to look too closely. :)

I love ultrasounds though. I could just look at them forever. Seeing how they are all balled up inside you, perfectly content. And this baby is very limbre! We couldn't even see it's face very well, because it's legs and feet were right by the face blocking the view!

I've also been feeling faint movement the last couple of days, which is reassuring! I thought with this being my third, I would feel it a lot sooner. So I was getting worried when at 20 weeks I really wasn't feeling much of anything. The ultrasounds were showing alot of movement though, so I wasn't too worried. But at this point, it's like I NEEDED to feel it move! I guess because I'm in the middle stage of just "feeling fat" that I needed to be reminded that there is a baby inside of me! That sounds silly even to me!

I've been talking to Hannah and Elijah about having another baby. They now point to my belly and say "Baby" but I don't think they fully grasp the idea of what's going to happen. Elijah tells me all the time that he wants to see the baby, which is really cute. So hopefully, the transition will go smoothly. I won't lie and say I don't think about it every day. Because I do. I'm trying to give all my worries to the Lord. I know He's holding me in His hands, and we'll make it through! I'm just going to enjoy this time with my two little ones! :) And don't worry if you don't see or hear from me after the baby, I've conceded to the fact that I might just become a hermit for a few months! :)

Five Amazing Years!

Today marks the 5th anniversary of being married to the most incredible man! And since it's our anniversary, I feel I have the priviledge to brag a little bit! :)

It all started in high school. We were both attending the same church, and that is where we first met. We instantly became friends. He was so witty and funny, that it was hard to stay away! He could always make me laugh. The only problem, back then, was that he is three years younger than me. It's not a big deal now, but back then it was major. I mean, I was 15 and he was 12!! So I made it a point that we were only friends!

Well, going through high school we definitely had our ups and downs as friends. I had a boyfriend, and he didn't like that very much. So he kept his distance. But we always remained friends, and we would understand each other so well that we even joked about being soul-mates!

My senior year of high school, my boyfriend and I were having issues so I decided to take Josh to my senior prom. I didn't want any drama that night, and I knew I would have a fabulous time with him! That was one of the best decisions I've ever made! We had such a good time! He was so handsome and gentlemanly, that I think I really started seeing him as something more than a friend that night! But of course, I wouldn't admit that..to him or to myself!

Well, I went off to college and started dating other guys, and he was so faithful to still be my friend in all that. But then, I think it just got to him. He got really upset with me, and literally didn't speak to me for the rest of that college year. I was living in the dorms, so I had to move back home for the summer. He was around, and it was like a fly to glue paper..we became inseperable! We literally did everything together! We hung out every weekend, played on a volleyball team, went ghosthunting! Then he invited me to his parents river house on the fourth of july. I went down there, and really saw how he related to his family. I can even remember the moment I knew I was in love with him. He was sitting on the porch, and his younger sister Abbie (like 7 years old at the time) came and sat in his lap, and he was so great with her. I honestly started imagining having kids with him right there!

And then everything just kinda fell into place! We started dating, and it was so wonderful! I couldn't believe I was seriously falling in love with my best friend. We dated for 2 1/2 years, and then he asked me to marry him! There was no doubt in my mind, I knew he was the one meant for me!

Now, today, I cannot believe that 5 years has already gone by! We've had our ups and downs, but I have never for one second regretted saying "I do" well in our case it was "I will." We have two amazing children, and one on the way!

Josh is such an amazing father. Even thinking about this makes me tear up! He is so great with them, and their faces just light up as soon as he comes in the door. I don't even exist anymore, because they just want to be with their daddy. Even after he works 12+ hours doing a very laborous job in the sun, he comes home and gives 100 percent to them! And to me! He works hard to allow me to stay at home with my children, and I am so grateful to him!

More than that, though, he is a wonderful husband. Sometimes I know I can be hard to handle, and he is so patient with me. He never complains. SERIOUSLY, never complains! And he loves me unconditionally! I used to have a much worse temper. (Must be that redhead in me!) But since I've married Josh, I think he's rubbing off on me. He's so calm and patient, and it's exactly what I don't have. He honestly just makes me a better person!

So, for my baby, on our anniversary: I just want to say Thank you! Thank you for loving me and the babies with every part of your being. Thank you for working hard to provide for us, and never complaining. And most of all thank you for being the awesome man of God that you are! For being the spiritual head of our household, in which I know that you are making decisions for our lives based on guidance from the Holy Spirit. I love you so much, and I'm excited about the rest of our lives together!

Weird doctor's visit.

So, last thursday I had another doctor's visit with my regular obstetrician. Except, it's not my regular one. This one's weird!

Here's the story. I go to the Adcock Center, which I have for both my babies. And I used to see Dr. Adcock. This man is honestly one of the most caring, compassionate people I've ever met. He's easy to talk to, and really wants to know how you are doing. And even better, he's a Christian. I love this about him! After he delivered both of my babies, he gave them a small Bible. In the Bible, he would write a special scripture and message. Then he prayed with us! You really don't find many doctors like this!

Well, last year Dr. Adcock was in a really bad accident. He was running and got hit by a car. He suffered from a pretty bad brain injury and has been out of the office ever since. He's doing good, though, but no one really knows when he'll be back. They keep saying he'll be back sometime this year.

In the meantime, they have another doctor filling in for him. And Thursday I met him for the first time. I had been seeing the midwife, but because of all the issues they went ahead and put me with him. He is...so strange. He's really old, and really small. He came into the room, and started asking me all these questions. He didn't even take the time to read my chart to know what was going on, so I had to explain everything to him. When he did the baby's heart beat, he did it so fast that I couldn't even take a minute to listen. And he didn't say anything about how fast it was or if it sounded good, just took the thingy off and wiped off the gel with his hand! This part of the visit literally took less than 5 minutes.

Then, he asked me if I worked. I told him I stay at home with my kids, and he asked if I used to work. So I told him I used to work in a vet's office in Valdosta. He proceeded to ask me a MILLION questions about who I worked for, if I knew this person or that, and what kind of dogs they had. I think he talked to me for AT LEAST 20 minutes about his german shepherds!! It was soooooooooooo strange! I mean, I like animals as much as the next person. But I don't want to discuss this at my prenatal visit. I want to know about my baby!!!

Anyways, I was completely dumbfounded when I left. And I've been praying daily for a quick return of my precious Dr. Adcock. I need him. I do not want this weirdo delivering my baby!

What a week!!

This week has been...exhausting!!

It all started last Sunday night when Elijah started getting sick. He was running a fever that afternoon, and then that night he woke up every 2 hours screaming. I went to check on him but had no idea what was going on, so I would just hold him for a while. Then in the early morning, he started this really weird cough. I had never heard anything like it. It was like the sound of a seal barking! And every time he coughed, he would scream out in pain. So I called the doctor and got an appointment. We went in and she immediately said he has croup, which is an imflammation of the upper respiratory system. It affects the voice box, larynx, and the windpipe. She said it gets worse at night, and to be especially careful with him because it can cause their airways to close up and they can't breathe. And because of his previous breathing problems he was at a higher risk! Way to put fear into someone!!

Anyways, we got some medicine and went back home and that day was rough. He wouldn't eat or drink, and he acted like he was in pain all day. I was constantly just feeding him ice chips to keep him hydrated, and he seemed like it made him feel better too. When we put him to bed, Josh and I prayed over his body for healing and to keep his airways clear. He still woke up through the night, but the cough was alot better. I think I woke up more than him just checking on him. The next day was pretty rough, but he started eating and drinking so I knew he was feeling better.

The doctors said it was contagious, so I was hoping Hannah wouldn't get it too. She started running a fever a couple of days ago but it hasn't developed into the cough. Hopefully it won't. But she obviously doesn't feel good. I found her asleep on the couch this morning, which has never happened.

This sickness has probably been the worst to deal with! I would never wish this on anyone! And with two puny babies, this house has not been very happy! We've basically been hulled up inside so that we don't spread it to anyone. We did venture out to Josh's softball game last night, because I thought it might be a good diversion. But I kept them away from kids just in case.

Now, I have a pretty nasty cold. Being sick with sick kids is not fun at all! Hopefully, Josh won't have to work tomorrow and maybe I can go somewhere for a few hours. Anywhere. I just need some sanity again!

Thus far..

Well, I think this is going to be a complete blog about my pregnancy thus far. So, if you don't want to read about it, feel free to skip over!

I am now almost 16 weeks, and I think I'm finally over the morning sickness. It was WAY worse with this pregnancy. I don't know if it actually was or it just felt like it because I was trying to take care of two babies while going through it. It is very difficult changing diapers while you are already feeling sick. So I'm definitely glad we are over that stage!

I have alot of issues though, so pregnancies are not easy. I'm considered "high-risk" because of several different things. First issue: Previous blood clot. When I was first married I got a blood clot in my leg that they think was caused by the birth control I was using. So I always am at risk of forming one again. And when you are pregnant you are at a higher risk of forming them again. So now I have to give myself blood thinners in the form of an injection. And the worst part, I have to inject it in the belly! Twice a day! My poor bruised belly.

Second issue: two previous pre-term babies. My first, Elijah, was actually born at 33 weeks- 7 weeks early! Looking back, wow, that's scary! At the time I had perfect peace, and I could definitely feel all the prayers. And he turned out to be fine! He had to be on oxygen for a few days, and we took him home in a week! It really could have been alot worse. I know God was protecting my little boy! Then when I was having my second, Hannah, she tried to come about the same time. Luckily this time, I kinda knew what to expect, so we made it to the hospital in time to stop my contractions. I was then put on bedrest, and had to take a medicine every 4 hours to keep the contractions at bay. We made it all the way to 37 weeks which was definitely an accomplishment! This time they want me to start Progesterone injections to help with preterm labor. I haven't completely decided if I want to do it. It's a weekly shot, in the butt!! And I don't really know much about it...

Third issue: Gestational diabetes. I had it with both my babies. So I had to be on a special diet, and check my blood sugar like 4 times a day. The issue with this is that when you have it, your body doesn't produce enough insulin to counteract the glucose (sugar) in your bloodstream. This can be harmful for the baby, because the glucose can go straight to the baby. This can cause the baby to gain more weight, which can lead to pre-term labor and other issues. So they tested me early for it this time, and I failed the first test. They then do a longer, more comprehensive test to test you again. And I passed!! I was so happy! Because I really didn't want to start that strict diet so early. I'll have to take the test again around 28 weeks, but that's fine!

Because of all the issues I have to see a specialist in Albany. I have to see him every month for now, and they do an ultrasound every time to make sure there are no problems. I also have to see my regular doctor once a month for prenatal visits, and I have to also go get regular blood tests done to make sure the blood thinners are doing what they need to. Anyways, the ultrasounds are cool..but all the visits are just exhausting! I don't take the babies with me, because I can't watch them when I'm being seen...so I have to find babysitters as well.

It's been hard this time around. I feel resentful every time I give myself a shot. I just wonder why all of this had to happen, and why can't I just have normal pregnancies. I'm constantly worried about something. If I wake up with a pain in my leg or chest, do I have another blood clot?? A weird feeling in my belly, was that a contraction?? I know God is taking care of me, but it's hard not to worry when you are pregnant. But I'm dealing with it. I know it could be a lot worse.

I know this whole post sounds like a big complaint. I'm sorry. But sometimes I just need to complain and get it out there. To clear things up, though, I feel very blessed to be pregnant again. Even with the issues. I love my children more than anything, and I would go through 100 times worse just to have them! I know this baby is only going to be a blessing, and I really am very excited! I promise to be more positive next time! :)

Big News!

It's been a while since I've written, but it doesn't mean that not much has happened! Just the opposite, A LOT is going on right now! I just haven't written because it's hard for me to keep secrets!

Now that I've kept you waiting, here's the news: We're having a baby!!

I'm 15 weeks already today, which is CRAZY! It's going by very, very fast! Way too fast! I'm still adjusting to the news myself these days. We were waiting to announce it until we had a few doctor's visits and an ultrasound to make sure things were going good. And they are. Things look normal, and my due date is set for October 19!

To be completely honest, though, I was not prepared to be pregnant just yet. I mean, we've always known we wanted more kids and that God was pushing us towards more, but I felt like it would at least be a few more months to a year. So, the day I took the test and it was positive, I just sat down and sobbed. And I really think I cried for about 2 weeks straight. I know that sounds bad, but with two small children at home..I honestly wondered if I could handle another baby right now. And selfishly, I just wanted my body to myself for a little longer. I had been pregnant/breastfeeding for almost 3 years straight!!! I had just finished breastfeeding Hannah approximately one month before I became pregnant again. And, I was losing all the weight from both pregnancies and was getting into clothes that I wore when I was first married! I was really starting to feel good, and my own woman again!

But God is so faithful! And He has such great plans for my life, way beyond my imagination! It took me a little while to become adjusted, but God has been with me the whole time. And I can definitely feel His peace in this situation! He will never give me more than I can handle (even though it might not be easy, either)! And He's definitely reminding me of all the things I love about little babies. The snuggle times, their complete dependence on me, and just being so cute and soft! So I'm really getting excited about our new little bundle of joy!

Anyways, just wanted to share our good news and I'll be back to post more about this pregnancy so far!

I'm having an emotional day!

I don't have these too often, but today I just woke up crying and haven't been able to stop! It's alot of different things piled into one, but the biggest one is just thinking about today being "Good Friday." We've been doing a Passover play at our church, and Josh and I have been helping. He is one of the disciples, and I've been helping serve. Just being there makes you think back to what it must have been like for Jesus that night. Knowing that he was going to be betrayed, knowing he would be crucified very soon. I can't even imagine. And all for me?

I can't help but to bawl my eyes out when I think about God watching Jesus grow up. From being a baby to a toddler, a child, a teenager, and then an adult. Jesus was His Son and He watched Him grow up, and yet He knew one day He would be crucified. For me. When I think about my own children, that's really hard to think about. That kind of love is unbelieveable, unconceivable, to my human mind. And yet God loves us that much. Thank you Lord for loving me that much!

I must go now, I can't even see what I'm writing through these tears!

Don't judge me!

So, I just finished reading "Twilight" for the 4th time!

Here's the reasoning behind it. I read it the first time honestly going into it not knowing it was about vampires. Rebekah, my sis-in-law, just told me to read it and I would like it. So I trusted her. The second time I read it, I wanted to read it from the beginning knowing everything. I like to break things down, and really dissect what's being said. Almost to the point that I'm looking for errors. The third time: I read it again before I watched the movie. I put off watching the movie for over a year after it came out on dvd. I knew it would ruin the book, and it definitely did not do it justice! I now just finished reading it for the fourth time. I can't explain this last time. I had watched parts of the movie again because it was on tv, and it really was irking me what all they left out of the movie. I saw the book lying there, and I couldn't help myself. For some reason, the book needed redeeming in my head.

Seriously, don't judge me!